1. Field of the Invention
This invention in general relates to temporary hookon steps and cargo platforms and more precisely to an adjustable multipurpose platform designed to be temporarily mounted on the bumpers of vehicles and other similar support structures for use as a step or cargo carrier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many large trucks, vans, and motor homes are designed with a higher profile than that of conventional passenger vehicles. This added height makes servicing certain upper portions of the vehicle difficult and sometimes dangerous. For tasks such as window washing or minor engine work on these high vehicles a step ladder can be used when one is available. However, a ladder is not always available, especially when such tasks need to be preformed on the road. Under such conditions a person must lean over the grill and balance on the narrow ledge of the bumper to reach the otherwise inaccessible areas.
A number of small easily stored bumper steps have been invented to resolve the foregoing problem. A search was therefore conducted to produce those patented past art vehicle bumper steps and platforms. Of the past art patented devices examined, the following were considered most pertinent to my invention:
1. The patent issued to Hall on June 28, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,447, shows a temporary adjustable bumper step.
2. Leuty was granted U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,098, on Aug. 12, 1986, for a "Truck Bumper Step".
3. On Nov. 4, 1986, Elsten was issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,609, for a removable bumper step for vehicles.
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,141, was granted to Jurek, on Sept. 20, 1983, for servicing steps to be mounted on the bumper of a truck.
5. Kroft was granted U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,125, on Nov. 8, 1977, for "Bumper-Mounted Truck Servicing Platform".
6. On Dec. 1, 1964, James was issued U.S. Pat. No. 3,159,242, for a "Detachable Bumper Step".
The Hall, Leuty and Jurek patents disclose bumper steps having a horizontal support surface level with the lower edge of the bumper. This structure of step often proves to provide insufficient height compared to a step whic his level with or above the top edge of the bumper. Several U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,405,141, 4,057,125, and 3,159,242, are not readily adjustable for accommodating variations in the width of the upper edge of the bumper. They provide no means for adjusting the distance between the bumper hooking means and the vertical support walls of the braces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,609 and all the other past art devices fail to provide readily interchangeable hooks or bumper attachment apparatuses to accommodate different shapes and thicknesses in material of bumpers. The type of structuring used in the past art devices tends to limit their use to certain styles of bumpers which prohibits their use on other forms of platform support structures where steps might be used. Permanently affixed hooks necessarily requrie the entire step or major portion of it to be manufactured for certain specific bumpers. This not only increases production costs by requiring the use of several different large dies or stamps in the manufacturing process, but the storage of a number of different styles or sizes of the steps within warehouses or retail outlets would increase substantially.
My hook-on platform overcomes the previously mentioned disadvantages of the past art devices, and provides other new and useful benefits which are described in detail in the following specification.